Abstract:
Objective To detect the expression of microRNA-218-5p (miR-218-5p) and homeobox B3 (HOXB3) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tissues and its clinical significance.
Methods Eighty-seven OSCC tissue specimens and corresponding paracancerous tissue specimens were selected.The expression levels of miR-218-5p, HOXB3 mRNA, and HOXB3 protein were detected.Pearson method was used to analyze the relationship between miR-218-5p and HOXB3 mRNA.The targeting relationship between miR-218-5p and HOXB3 was verified through dual luciferase reporter gene experiment.The relationship between miR-218-5p, HOXB3 expression and survival rate of OSCC patients was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival curve.The influencing factors for prognosis in OSCC patients were analyzed with Cox regression model.
Results The expression level of miR-218-5p in the OSCC tissues was significantly lower than that in the paracancerous tissues (P < 0.01), and the expression level of HOXB3 mRNA was significantly higher than that in the paracancerous tissues (P < 0.01).The positive expression rate of HOXB3 protein in the OSCC tissues was significantly higher than that in the paracancerous tissues (P < 0.01).Pearson correlation analysis showed that the expression of miR-218-5p mRNA was negatively correlated with the expression of HOXB3 mRNA in the OSCC tissues (r=-0.581, P < 0.05).The dual luciferase reporter gene experiment confirmed the targeting relationship between miR-218-5p and HOXB3.The expression of miR-218-5p and HOXB3 in OSCC tissues was associated with TNM staging and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01).The 3-year overall survival rate of patients with high miR-218-5p expression was significantly higher than that of patients with low miR-218-5p expression (P < 0.01);the 3-year overall survival rate of patients with positive HOXB3 expression was significantly lower than that of patients with negative HOXB3 expression (P < 0.01).Lymph node metastasis, miR-218-5p, and HOXB3 were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in OSCC patients (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01).
Conclusions MiR-218-5p is lowly expressed, and HOXB3 is highly expressed in OSCC tissues, both are related to the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of OSCC patients, and may play an important role in the occurrence and development of OSCC.